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Autonomous trucks outpacing self-driving cars, will come to market sooner 7/26/2021 Friday Short Haul - Driver training, driver retention, Safe Trucks Act 7/23/2021 Association launches to take CDL driver training to high school students 7/21/2021 Queen of the Road winners named by REAL Women in Trucking 7/19/2021 Friday Short Haul -- Amazon expands fleet, Dollar General's sign-on bonus, Werner nuclear verdict appeal 7/16/2021 Operation Safe Driver Week is under way, ends July 17 7/14/2021 New blame being named for driver shortage 7/12/2021 Friday Short Haul - America's Road Team, sexual harassment webinar, Knight-Swift acquisition 7/9/2021 Analysis: One third of bridges across the nation are structurally deficient 7/7/2021 Truckers help bring a Vietnam memorial to communities across America 7/5/2021 Friday Short Haul - AB5 discussion, crash scam sentencing, Werner lawsuit 7/2/2021 Training Provider Registry website now taking registrations 6/30/2021 UK driver shortage has some calling for desperate measures 6/28/2021 Friday Short Haul - Minneapolis set to ban big rig parking, WIT Member of the Month 6/25/2021 CTA's challenge of California's AB5 on its way to the Supreme Court 6/23/2021 More guilty pleas in New Orleans staged crash scam ring investigation 6/21/2021 Friday Short Haul - DOT agenda, pay increases, Workforce Heroes, and TuSimple 6/18/2021 ATRI survey points to the need for a nationwide truck parking availability system 6/16/2021 Canada ELD mandate deadline was June 12; won't be enforced 6/14/2021 Friday Short Haul - Driver essay contest, safest fleets, JB Hunt's Waymo, ATA's climate change 6/11/2021 OOIDA aids CTA in its appeal of unfavorable AB5 ruling 6/9/2021 Little for truckers to like in newest highway bill 6/7/2021 Friday Short Haul - TuSimple watermelon run, Schneider diversity, pre-settlement claims 6/4/2021 Latest study released: 25 most-dangerous highways in America 6/2/2021 Survey seeks answers to what drivers want from carriers 5/31/2021 Friday Short Haul - Speed limiters, ATRI research agenda, Pallet shortage 5/28/2021 Some are asking the feds to take another look at twin-33 trailers 5/26/2021 Watch out for increased cargo theft over Memorial Day holiday 5/24/2021 Friday Short Haul - Woman in Logistics award, Brake Check Week, and truckers' COVID shots 5/21/2021 Sides lining up on re-introduced $5 million insurance minimum bill 5/19/2021 Supply chain is in crisis: Is a truck VMT tax the solution? 5/17/2021 Friday Short Haul - Break-away fifth wheel, HP partners with Embark, Texas lawsuit bill proceeds 5/14/2021 Three top carriers sign up for 6,775 TuSimple self-driving trucks 5/12/2021 Drivers come to the aid of crash victims, earn Highway Angel wings 5/10/2021 Friday Short Haul - WIT names finalists, DOL withdraws decision, seat belt enforcement 5/7/2021 Nation catching on to consequences of truck driver shortage 5/5/2021 Inspectors on the road for International Roadcheck this week 5/3/2021 Friday Short Haul - ADAS push, Fiji trucking, gas shortage, and AB 5 becomes law 4/30/2021 Truckers involved in one-third of work zone crashes 4/28/2021 Seven tips for drivers to boost their pay 4/26/2021 Friday Short Haul - Samsung's Safety Truck, insurance minumums increase, COVID shots for Canadian truckers 4/23/2021 TravelCenters names two as 2021 Citizen Drivers of the Year 4/21/2021 Truck Historical Society launches Hall of Fame to honor truckers 4/19/2021 Friday Short Haul - WIT Driver of the Year nominees, FMCSA admin, DRIVE-Safe Act 4/16/2021 League of Cities offers solution to truck parking problem 4/14/2021 Policy brief makes a strong case for commercializing rest areas 4/12/2021 Friday Short Haul - FMCSA's TeenZone, Safety blitz, and Knight-Swift pay increase 4/9/2021 States preparing for another spotted lanternfly season 4/7/2021 Carriers encouraged to hire more entry-level drivers 4/5/2021 Friday Short Haul - Embark AV interface, OOIDA letter, Crete pay 4/2/2021 Website ranks carriers by driver pay - Sysco at the top 3/31/2021 Opponents voice concerns about Amazon's Driveri surveillance system 3/29/2021 Friday Short Haul - Embark and ADOT, Livestock haulers, and truck parking 3/26/2021 WIT honors 73 "Top Women to Watch" 3/24/2021 TCA honors four new Highway Angels 3/22/2021 Friday Short Haul - Truck wings, miles traveled tax, left-lane laws 3/19/2021 Texas doing something about nuclear verdicts against truckers 3/17/2021 First autonomous vehicle program student to graduate this semester 3/15/2021 Friday Short Haul - U.S. Xpress report, DRIVE Safe Act, Illegals 3/12/2021 California's job-killing AB 5 about to go Federal 3/10/2021 Federal speed-limiter mandate up for discussion again 3/8/2021 Friday Short Haul - Florida's SafeDRIVE, hair test update, human smuggler caught with 41 aboard 3/5/2021 Senators propose legislation to promote women in the trucking industry 3/3/2021 Canada is firm on June 12 ELD mandate; but no devices are certified 3/1/2021 Friday Short Haul - Top truck bottlenecks, North Dakota road trains, TuSimple IPO 2/26/2021 Despite benefits, fleets are not embracing lightweighting 2/24/2021 ELD mandate drives telematic and technology consolidations 2/22/2021 Friday Short Haul - Truck stop closures, apprenticeship program, emissions tampering 2/19/2021 Still time to comment on FMCSA's proposed vision rule change 2/17/2021 Red-light and speed camera enforcement on states' legislative agendas 2/15/2021 Friday Short Haul - C.R. England files RICO lawsuit, riskiest states, Walmart bonus 2/12/2021 Controversy continues on under-21 driver pilot program proposal 2/10/2021 WIT honors January and February Women of the Month 2/8/2021 Friday Short Haul - International Roadcheck 2021, Nikola hydrogen deal, OOIDA wants truck stop vaccines 2/5/2021 OOIDA's Lewie Pugh on tap as House transportation committee witness 2/3/2021 Car drivers are schooled about truckers' blind spots 2/1/2021 Friday Short Haul - Human smuggling, DOL rescinds opinion, yard moves comments 1/29/2021 January Highway Angels get their 'wings' 1/27/2021 DOL opinion green lights carriers to implement safety requirements on contractor drivers 1/25/2021 Friday Short Haul - Protests, dark days ahead, TuSimple 1/22/2021 Proposal to hit up SoCal warehouses for truck emissions at their facilities 1/20/2021 Court says interstate drivers are not held to California's meal and rest break rules 1/18/2021 Friday Short Haul - ND's 80mph speed limit, FMCSA advisory committees, precedent-setting lawsuit 1/15/2021 Most states fail to measure up to safety advocate's recommendations 1/13/2021 Road train pilot program approved by North Dakota lawmakers 1/11/2021 Friday Short Haul - Best fleets to drive for in 2021, Feds' final worker status rule, yard jockeys need better training 1/8/2021 TruckPark and FuelMe partnership takes the worry out of parking and fueling 1/6/2021 Clearinghouse deadline, and new FMCSA guidance about yard moves 1/4/2021 2020 closes with probably one of the most bizarre truck crash lawsuits ever 1/1/2021 FMCSA adds underride guards to list of inspection items 12/30/2020 Ex-football player helping truckers get into shape 12/28/2020 Friday Short Haul - OOIDA's letter to Congress, J.B. Hunt's diversity project, major winter storm 12/25/2020 France imposes lockdown on truckers from Britain attempting to cross the channel 12/23/2020 DOT told to assess skills of employees able to meet automation challenge 12/21/2020 Friday Short Haul - New FMCSA final rule, U.S. Xpress MIT study, Triton-EV semi 12/18/2020 COVID blamed for backlog in holiday deliveries 12/16/2020 Rule requiring driver notification of traffic violations is on FMCSA chopping block 12/14/2020 Friday Short Haul - WIT Female Driver nominations, FMCSA HOS Q&A webinar, truckers handle 12/11/2020 House passes federal marijuana bill; won't affect truckers 12/9/2020 Predictive hiring assessments becoming popular recruiting tool. But will it cure turnover? 12/7/2020 Friday Short Haul -- ATA letters about vaccine, FMCSA emergency declaration, UPS steps up dry ice production 12/4/2020 WIT seeks to survey women about driving while pregnant 12/2/2020 Four more drivers join ranks of TCA's Highway Angels 11/30/2020 Friday Short Haul -- TCA's Fleet Safety awards, truck drivers' vaccine, Volvo electric semis 11/27/2020 AI technology is now playing a bigger role in driver-facing camera surveillance 11/25/2020 CDC releases lates COVID-19 guidelines for truckers 11/23/2020 Friday Short Haul - Daimler self-driving Freightliner, driver's ed students, StopTheTires cancelled 11/20/2020 FMCSA shoots down Washington State's more-stringent break rules for truckers 11/18/2020 Two awardees announced for WIT's 2020 Woman of Influence 11/16/2020 Friday Short Haul -- Trucking quilter, Tri-State bets $5,000, and CRST conquers dwell time 11/13/2020 Veterans Day StopTheTires2020 shutdown protest planned 11/11/2020 California voters approve Prop 22 to gain exemptions to AB-5 11/9/2020 Friday Short Haul - FMCSA Pocket Guide, Heartland pay raise, teen trucker comments 11/6/2020 U.S. Senator blasts FMCSA for lack of accountability and increased crashes 11/4/2020 Four-state coalition forms to alleviate I-10 corridor truck parking problem 11/2/2020 Friday Short Haul - Tyson's mirrorless trucks, Brake Safety Week results, 14-hour pilot program comments 10/30/2020 Driver shortage ranks highest in ATRI's latest truck industry survey 10/28/2020 FMCSA criticized for high number of CDL fraud incidences 10/26/2020 Friday Short Haul - Volvo electrics, EPA emission penalties, PA move over law 10/23/2020 Nuclear verdicts get carriers rethinking safety training programs 10/21/2020 SBTC denied request for HOS and ELD exemptions when pets are on board 10/19/2020 Friday Short Haul - Smuggled migrants, Prime settlement, USF Holland lawsuit, truck road damage 10/16/2020 Tank trailers get approved for an additional pulsating brake light 10/14/2020 TuSimple and Waymo go head to head on issues of AV trucking 10/12/2020 Friday Short Haul - Drivers can self-dispatch, driver pay on the increase, Hurrican Delta emergency 10/9/2020 Women in Trucking names Influential Women and top companies for women to work for 10/7/2020 When a social media presence could hurt a driver or carrier 10/5/2020 Friday Short Haul - Walmart buys Tesla semis, FMCSA drivers panel, Pronto.ai is denied request, and Jim Mullen moves to TuSimple 10/2/2020 Machine learning shared truck loads add efficient component to LTL shipping 9/30/2020 New HOS rules in effect Sept. 29; clearing confusion about the new rule changes 9/28/2020 Friday Short Haul -- Schneider's remote orientation, 14-hour rule change comments, license renawal extension, ATA's DOL response 9/25/2020 Feds come out with their own definition of independent contractor status 9/23/2020 Amazon casts around for freight haulers; FMCSA news for drivers 9/21/2020 Friday Short Haul - WIT photo contest, Teamsters challenge HOS, $1 billion for infrastructure 9/18/2020 Speeding was most-cited violation during Safe Driver Week 9/16/2020 Carriers, others, honor drivers during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week 9/14/2020 Friday Short Haul - FMCSA wildfire declaration, hair drug testing, shift plus load pay 9/11/2020 FMCSA looking to put under-21 drivers on interstate hauls 9/9/2020 New AB 5 bill specifically targets truckers for enforcement 9/7/2020 Friday Short Haul - AV test tracking tool, split-duty proposal comments, and mandatory hair testing 9/4/2020 FMCSA helps bankroll Trucking Fatigue Meter to fight driver drowsiness 9/2/2020 FMCSA looking at split-duty rule change; extending 14-hour day 8/31/2020 Friday Short Haul - Travel centers announce special offers for drivers in September 8/28/2020 Trucking landscape could look different after Nov. 3 8/26/2020 More indictments in New Orleans area accident insurance scams 8/24/2020 Friday Short Haul - North Dakota road trains, Brake Safety Week, drivers not returning to duty, opposition to Mexican truckers 8/21/2020 Platooning passes real-world tests; new company emerges as leader 8/19/2020 Helping victims of crashes earn drivers Highway Angel awards 8/17/2020 Friday Short Haul - Trucker's last ride, FMCSA extension, autonomous trucks 8/14/2020 Test vehicles did not fare well during AAA's driving assistance evaluations 8/12/2020 Spotted lanternfly sightings on the increase 8/10/2020 Friday Short Haul - JKC Trucking announcement, truck stop break-in, WIT top women businesses 8/7/2020 FMCSA reminds drivers of 'adverse conditions' exemptions to HOS rules 8/5/2020 SmartSense mitigates collision and 'sitting duck' situations 8/3/2020 Friday Short Haul - FBI ELD hacks warning, students hack trucks, OOIDA asks for HVUT suspension 7/31/2020 Women In Trucking announces 2020 photo contest 7/29/2020 California publishes major new freight plan 7/27/2020 Friday Short Haul - Love's requires masks, 10-million-mile driver, brake check blitz, and TuSimple truck incident 7/24/2020 COVID-19 gives the average trucker a chance to attend FMCSA safety summit 7/22/2020 Overdrive honors Small Fleet Champs 7/20/2020 Friday Short Haul - States push for electric semis, fewer student new-hires, troopers in a truck 7/17/2020 Nearly 300,000 drivers would lose jobs if hair testing was mandated 7/15/2020 Trucking Truth owner/founder gets 3-hour spot at Road Dog Trucking Radio 7/13/2020 Friday Short Haul - Operation Safe Driver Week, Canadian border, fuel cell semis hit the road 7/10/2020 Werner, DOE earn FMCSA ELD and HOS exemptions 7/8/2020 TuSimple announces its Autonomous Freight Network to expand driverless freight hauling throughout the nation 7/6/2020 Friday Short Haul - House passes Moving Forward Act, YRC gets a bailout, and trucking jobs on the increase 7/3/2020 Group pens letter objecting to proposed EV charging stations at highway rest areas 7/1/2020 Carriers' virus response gets kudos at TCA virtual meeting 6/29/2020 Friday Short Haul - Convoy brokerage, CLP waiver extended, $2 million amendment passed, two sentenced for CDL fraud 6/26/2020 Nuclear verdicts strangling trucking companies; not so, say lawsuit attorneys 6/24/2020 Eight carriers in lawsuit for not poaching other companies' drivers 6/22/2020 Friday Short Haul - Post-virus speeds return to normal, $2 million insurance minimum proposed, WIT looking to honor an influential woman 6/19/2020 FMCSA extends 3 COVID-related waiver declarations 6/17/2020 Truckers say they will refuse to enter cop-defunded cities 6/15/2020 Friday Short Haul - Truckers love guns, freight broker leader resigns, avoiding riots 6/12/2020 Cargo theft on the uptick during COVID-19 era 6/10/2020 California voters will get a chance to scrap AB 5 6/8/2020 Friday Short Haul - Prime crash verdict, Teamsters applaud INVEST Act, OOIDA opposes broker bond changes 6/5/2020 Dwell and detention times begin to decrease post-virus 6/3/2020 CRST fighting another battle over driver poaching 6/1/2020 Friday Short Haul - Driver shortage is over, Amazon's brokerage goes national, and lawyers are after carriers for nuclear verdicts 5/29/2020 Freight industry considering post-COVID-19 strategies 5/27/2020 FMCSA to consider increasing HOS for autonomous drivers 5/25/2020 Friday Short Haul - Trimble MAPS, rate of fatalities increase, Comcar bankruptcy, driver pay on the rise 5/22/2020 FMCSA: Long-awaited final HOS revisions announced 5/20/2020 2016 trucking documentary released to YouTube for public viewing 5/18/2020 Friday Short Haul - Reusing morgue reefers, ATRI research priorities, FMCSA HOS declaration 5/15/2020 WIT honors two women in the trucking industry 5/13/2020 Freight brokers push back against "price gouging" accusation 5/11/2020 Friday Short Haul - Tank truck revenues decline, former Arrow CEO gets early prison release, not-preventable crashes 5/8/2020 ATRI and OOIDF team up for comprehensive COVID-19/trucking survey 5/6/2020 U.S. military has unique needs for truck platooning 5/4/2020 Friday Short Haul - Truckers protest low rates, 1 million masks given to drivers, SecurSpace app finds parking 5/1/2020 WorkHound analyses what drivers think about the COVID-19 crisis 4/29/2020 Group pushes back on temporary increased weight limits 4/27/2020 Friday Short Haul - 'Thank God for truckers!' CA state senator proposes bill to suspend AB5, TA furloughs 3,000 workers 4/24/2020 Truckers say distracted driving is on the rise 4/22/2020 Trucking leaders think some recent changes might become permanent in the industry 4/20/2020 Friday Short Haul - "Your papers please," skills testing waiver, masks required in Canada 4/17/2020 Truckers report in on their treatment during these COVID-19 times 4/15/2020 FMCSA acts quickly to keep the new-driver pipeline flowing 4/13/2020 Friday Short Haul - Weight limits increase, food trucks not wanted in rest areas, FMCSA extends HOS exemptions 4/10/2020 Trucking industry concerned about state licensing agency closings 4/8/2020 California AB-5 advocates react to carriers' COVID-19 good deeds 4/6/2020 Friday Short Haul - Schneider's error, Change.org petition, Teamsters Canada demands 4/3/2020 Authors: 'Legacy' carriers ignore autonomous technology at their peril 4/1/2020 COVID-19 scare: State gun laws come under scrutiny 3/30/2020 Friday Short Haul - Inspection blitz postponed, COVID-19 webinar, FHA urges states to keep rest areas open, fewer cars means faster truck deliveries 3/27/2020 DOT and FMCSA issue COVID-19 responses 3/25/2020 Starsky Robotics calls it quits 3/23/2020 Friday Short Haul - Weigh station parking, rest areas reopen, HOS waiver expanded, freight prices increase 3/20/2020 Truck drivers mostly exempt from coronavirus lock downs 3/18/2020 HOS rules relaxed for COVID-19 relief effort 3/16/2020 Friday Short Haul - Western Express recovers from Tennessee tornado, driver involved in two accidents six minutes apart, another carrier quits 3/13/2020 Daimler's electric vehicles and autonomous trucks continue real-world testing 3/11/2020 Predictive technology increases driver safety, benefits carriers 3/9/2020 Friday Short Haul -- Coffee drinking drivers, Amazon coronavirus email, FMCSA safety summit 3/6/2020 AIRman introduces no-crank technology to landing gears 3/4/2020 Roadmaster shows how to reduce driver turnover 3/2/2020 Friday Short Haul - CBD users beware, 8,000 violations revealed in Clearinghouse, laptop theft lands Alabama trucker in prison 2/28/2020 Canada company offers easy access to spare trailers 2/26/2020 Roadcheck could result in temporarily higher freight rates 2/24/2020 Friday Short Haul - Self-driving yard trucks, Knight-Swift partners with Truckstop.com, Security guard shoots driver 2/21/2020 Training providers offer a diversity of options 2/19/2020 Idaho eases hemp transport prohibition; too late to help arrested drivers 2/17/2020 Friday Short Haul - Tennessee carrier quits, signs a carrier is going down, retaining drivers 2/14/2020 New phone app hopes to alleviate shipper waits 2/12/2020 Senate Transportation Committee gets an earful from trucking execs 2/10/2020 Friday Short Haul - Best fleets to drive for, FMCSA delays ELDT rule, Cold Carriers closes doors 2/7/2020 Baylor Trucking deals with consequences of ELD outage 2/3/2020 WIT announces first-ever Driver Ambassador, names February Member of the Month 2/3/2020 Friday Short Haul - ATA at White House USMCA signing, AB-5 fight continues, toughest jobs 1/31/2020 May dates announced for this year's roadside inspection blitz 1/29/2020 States work to toughen up left-lane-hogging laws 1/27/2020 Friday Short Haul - Pilot Flying J name change, CRST-Swift lawsuit, Schneider named innovator 1/24/2020 Seven drivers named as TCA's Highway Angels 1/22/2020 Travel advisories and restrictions announced for Midwest weekend storm 1/20/2020 Friday Short Haul - Senators demand GPS app updates, Jason's Law survey, ATA applauds USMCA, FMCSA's truck crash survey 1/17/2020 Research group recommends a national autonomous truck policy 1/15/2020 A glimpse into driving long-haul in China 1/13/2020 Friday Short Haul - Court blocks AB-5, SBTC vs. FMCSA, Can Opener Bridge 1/10/2020 Loses appeal: Walmart ordered to pony up $54 million to drivers 1/8/2020 WIT and Walmart seek nominations for Female Driver of the Year 1/6/2020 Friday Short Haul - Sweatshop on Wheels, judge exempts truckers from AB-5, Fleetwood closes doors 1/3/2020 Trucking Truth's top stories for 2019 1/1/2020 Random drug tests of drivers to double in 2020 12/30/2019 Friday Short Haul - New EV semi, tonnage down, turnover up, Grapevine fatality, runaway truck tires demolish car 12/27/2019 Trucking industry goes out of its way for Christmas charitable giving 12/25/2019 Fuel card provider hit with FTC lawsuit 12/23/2019 Friday Short Haul - Driver coercion, zero emissions, driver fatalities 12/20/2019 Hard enforcement for ELD compliance now in effect 12/18/2019 State CDL agencies get reprieve from drug & alcohol clearinghouse deadline 12/16/2019 Friday Short Haul - JB Hunt's Wreaths Across America, Plus.ai butter run, states look for zero emissions 12/13/2019 Carriers muster to pick up Celadon drivers, employees 12/11/2019 Will Amazon's pay-per-day plan influence the industry? 11/27/2019 Freight volume and rates downturn turns into a 'bloodbath' 11/25/2019 Friday Short Haul - Independent contractors getting booted out of CA, winter weather resources, ransomware attack 11/22/2019 Knowing when to say goodbye to an unprofitable shipper 11/20/2019 Schneider donates trucks; Congress considers women-driver-friendly bill 11/18/2019 Friday Short Haul - CTA files lawsuit against California, Highway Hero nominations sought, video of "Move Over" crash 11/15/2019 Tesla announces new electric Semi model 11/13/2019 Not everyone happy with potential FMCSA clearinghouse delay 11/11/2019 Friday Short Haul - AI taking driving jobs, CRV scam, Truckers protest AB-5, ELDs quit working 11/8/2019 Investigators cracking down on truck accident fraudulent lawsuits 11/6/2019 So you want to start your own trucking company? 11/4/2019 Friday Short Haul - FMCSA emergency exemptions, snow plows, FedEx employee bribery charges 11/1/2019 Human smuggling via big rigs on the increase 10/30/2019 Carriers, drivers look at ways to deal with California's AB-5 10/28/2019 Friday Short Haul - Millennials and trucking, Truckers Christmas Group, Navistar settlement 10/25/2019 Too many drivers still don't know to "Move Over" 10/23/2019 Are trucker strikes a thing of the past? 10/21/2019 Friday Short Haul - Passenger car drivers, spotted lanternfly, women drivers 10/18/2019 OOIDA makes final push for better HOS rules 10/16/2019 Car-truck crash fatalities continue to increase 10/14/2019 Friday Short Haul - Amazon's fleet of day cabs, legislator's disclosure, WTA petition 10/11/2019 ATA chief takes on truck-accident lawyers 10/9/2019 Lonely on the road? Get a furry friend 10/7/2019 Friday Short Haul - Lab-grown meat, fraudulent freight brokering, FMCSA HOS committee, FMCSA Clearinghouse 10/4/2019 UPS takes giant leap in its drone delivery program 10/2/2019 Female drivers are safer bet for trucking companies 9/30/2019 Friday Short Haul - Embark gets financing, FMCSA announces safety grants, Covenant exits Mexico routes, and trucking statistics 9/27/2019 Emissions standards battle heats up between the EPA and California 9/25/2019 Smog checks in the future for California truck drivers 9/23/2019 Friday Short Haul - Volvo Dynamic Steering, Meals for 18 Wheels, speeding crackdown, OOIDA opposes legislation 9/20/2019 Telematics could be insurance-premium-saving boon for fleets 9/18/2019 54 percent of survey respondents still not impressed with telematics technology 9/16/2019 Friday Short Haul - Walmart video, it's churn, not shortage, California's independent contractor bill, hemp drivers plea 9/13/2019 TCA honors three Highway Angels 9/11/2019 Now they're talking about "smart" trailers 9/9/2019 Friday Short Haul - Detention-time comments, truck orders decline, diesel fuel shortage 9/6/2019 Berkeley study says reducing independent truckers can alleviate climate change 9/4/2019 Clearing up concerns about the drug and alcohol clearinghouse 9/2/2019 Friday Short Haul - Hurricane Dorian, Speed limiter bill, Thank a Driver campaign 8/30/2019 Georgia jury awards $280 million for truck-driver-caused multi-fatality 8/28/2019 Friday Short Haul - New eCascadias, Top cities for truck driver jobs, Push against driverless trucks 8/23/2019 Decision on California drivers' employee/contractor status coming down to the wire 8/21/2019 UPS jumps on autonomous bandwagon with TuSimple investment 8/19/2019 FMCSA publishes proposed HOS rule changes 8/16/2019 Fleets, drivers coming to like automated manual transmissions 8/14/2019 CVSA asks for new truck crash study 8/12/2019 Friday Short Haul - HOS revisions delayed, AEB mandate proposed, Koch sued for sex discrimination 8/9/2019 Kodiak Robotics takes lead in autonomous truck industry race 8/7/2019 New York City combats rash of cyclist/truck clashes 8/5/2019 Friday Short Haul - CRST wins lawsuit, OOIDA opposes insurance hike, UPSNav 8/2/2019 Mechanics shortage equals driver shortage in intensity 7/31/2019 DOT announces almost 1$ billion in grants to fix infrastructure 7/29/2019 Friday Short Haul - DOL on sleeper pay, UPS drone delivery, Geowiz ELDs 7/26/2019 FMCSA takes a look at assault, harassment of female and minority drivers 7/24/2019 It's hot out there, what's a trucker to do? Can't idle. 7/22/2019 Friday Short Haul - Utah truck rollovers, aging truckers, lifetime CDL bans 7/19/2019 Truck-mounted LED billboards coming under fire 7/17/2019 Trucker 'drones on' with unique approach to teaching driving skills 7/15/2019 Friday Short Haul - Rhode Island tolls, human smuggling, contractor vs employee status 7/12/2019 ELD mandate deadline looming, many still not compliant 7/10/2019 New "boot" device being deployed to threaten Walmart overnighters 7/8/2019 Friday Short Haul - Prime Inc vs Amazon, mother fights HOS changes, truck drivers appreciation week 7/5/2019 Proper way to fly the American flag on your truck this Fourth of July 7/3/2019 Roundabouts are becoming popular; but are they best for trucks? 7/1/2019 Friday Short Haul - Skills test proposal, driver shortage, hemp sentencing, driverless trucks 6/28/2019 Experts warn of active wildland fire season 6/26/2019 More states signing on to enlist truckers against human trafficking 6/24/2019 Friday Short Haul - Shippers of Choice, insurance rates, wheel spikes, WIT award 6/21/2019 Freight numbers not holding up to 2018's highs 6/19/2019 Truck safety group urges purges of drug abuse drivers 6/17/2019 Friday Short Haul - Self-driving certificate, truck platooning, trade war stacking up cargo 6/14/2019 HOS waiver coming soon for fireworks haulers 6/12/2019 FMCSA takes a further look at detention time 6/10/2019 Friday Short Haul - Autonomous delivery, HOS rules changes, CDL retest 6/7/2019 Roadcheck 2019 in effect this week 6/5/2019 Hemp arrest prompts USDA memo 6/3/2019 Friday Short Haul - Waymo big rigs, Move over sting, Under-21 comments 5/31/2019 Severe weather prompts renewed emergency declaration 5/29/2019 Memorial Day holiday is prime time for cargo thefts 5/25/2019 Friday Short Haul - Hauling hemp, road rage fatality, new rules for autonomous vehicles 5/24/2019 Autonomous trucks on USPS test run 5/22/2019 Future era of cab-less trucks will be the end of HOS rules 5/20/2019 Friday Short Haul - FMCSA under-21 comments, Tesla autonomous car crash, 24,000 drivers sign contract with YRC 5/17/2019 Under-21 interstate drivers getting serious look by FMCSA 5/15/2019 Trucker Buddy program matches drivers with a classroom; everyone wins 5/13/2019 Friday Short Haul - Driver awarded $80 million, ODFL driver wins, loading dock black hole 5/10/2019 Storm breaks out from Rockies, slams into Midwest, South 5/8/2019 Capacity issues have shippers looking at private fleets 5/6/2019 Friday Short Haul - HOS rules, dark skies, Falcon drivers 5/3/2019 'Bug' permits now required for four eastern states 5/1/2019 Simulator use is catching on for schools, carriers 4/29/2019 Friday Short Haul - Thinking electric, Penske opens charging station, border crossing crisis, railroads taking trucking business 4/26/2019 ELDs might not be the panacea that was hoped for 4/24/2019 Truck drivers may soon see "phantoms" driving yard trucks 4/22/2019 Friday Short Haul - Nikola big rigs, WIT welcomes Peterbilt, Oregon crashes, Border crossings 4/19/2019 Carriers claim financial benefit of putting up drivers in hotels 4/17/2019 Uber's IPO application reveals interesting data about its freight brokerage business 4/15/2019 Friday Short Haul - CDL examiner arrested, tolls proposed for trucks, marijuana use on the rise 4/12/2019 Smart Load Board will get carriers the loads they need 4/10/2019 Huge lines and long wait times greet carriers at Mexico border 4/8/2019 Friday Short Haul - Marijuana, ATA campaign, personal conveyance rules 4/5/2019 Over-the-air downloads revolutionize parameter updates 4/3/2019 Don't get scammed by skimmers 4/1/2019 Friday Short Haul -- New Cascadias honored, motorist survey, U.S, Xpress awarded, rest stop parking 3/29/2019 Legislators address underride collisions, propose more underguards for trucks, trailers 3/27/2019 Motorists soon may encounter a different kind of truck convoy 3/25/2019 Friday Short Haul -- Women in Trucking, irate motorist, FMCSA eases HOS, Safe-Cap 3/22/2019 Recent survey shows cost of roadside repairs is rising 3/20/2019 FMCSA announces drug and alcohol clearinghouse website 3/18/2019 Friday Short Haul - Swift settlement, driver shortage myth, TCA Best Fleet award 3/15/2019 The hidden danger of looking but not seeing 3/13/2019 Accident scammers target trucks for financial payout 3/11/2019 Friday Short Haul - Snow on the roof, bypassing toll road, Waze under fire 3/8/2019 Retailers blame driver shortage for price increases 3/6/2019 Drivers' smartphones may be clue to road roughness 3/4/2019 Friday Short Haul -- Freight rates, HOS changes, tonnage reports 3/1/2019 New tax changes hit drivers hard 2/27/2019 FMCSA to implement under-21 interstate driver program for former military 2/25/2019 Friday Short Haul -- Connecticut tolls proposed, hydrogen fuel-cell trucks, cell phone use 2/22/2019 Congress committee looks at state of America's highways 2/20/2019 Number of cargo thefts is down; but dollar value about the same 2/18/2019 Friday Short Haul -- Crossing the border, CA sues FMCSA, Lobbying against larger trucks 2/15/2019 Detention - A problem still in search of a solution 2/13/2019 February Highway Angels honorees named 2/11/2019 Friday Short Haul -- C.R. England announces pay raises, eCommerce impact on trucking, TCA announces best fleets 2/8/2019 Is a guaranteed minimum pay the solution to the driver shortage? 2/6/2019 Long CDL testing wait times cost economy billions of dollars; not helping driver shortage 2/4/2019 Friday Short Haul -- Walmart hiring, Uber Freight App, Speed-limiter Law, America's Road Team 2/1/2019 Cranking -- The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly 1/30/2019 California survives challenge to its low-carbon fuel standards 1/28/2019 Friday Short Haul - Highway robbery ... autonomous trucks ... new trailers 1/25/2019 LithiumHub enters jump-starter market with Jumpbooster JP30 1/23/2019 2019 Looks Good For The Transportation Industry 1/21/2019 Raymond Burt named TMC Trainer of the Month for February 2018 3/28/2018 TMC Transportation Announces Recipient of Prestigious Wheel Master Award 3/7/2018 TMC Transportation Named The Home Depot’s Flatbed Carrier of the Year For Fourth Straight Year 2/28/2018 Pay Raises & New Peterbilts for PAM Drivers 2/26/2018 New DOT Drug Testing Rules Effective Jan 1, 2018 1/11/2018 Amtrak Derailment: Trucks Haul 270,000 Pound Locomotive Engine During Cleanup 12/21/2017 Pepsi Places Largest Order Yet For Tesla Electric Trucks 12/12/2017 Kavin Hallett named Trainer of the Month for October 2017 12/8/2017 Over 100,000 Truck Drivers Likely Have Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea And More Testing Is On The Way 8/10/2017 Drivers Share Their Best Tips, Tricks, And Secrets For Life On The Road 7/18/2017 Drivers Are Losing Money By Taking The Wrong Approach 7/13/2017 Truckers and Guns: What Is and Is Not Legal 7/6/2017 Preparing To Go Solo For The First Time? Experienced Drivers Share Their Best Advice 6/29/2017 The Truck Stop Survival Guide: Advice From Experienced Drivers 6/15/2017 The Worst Cities For Traffic In The U.S. For 2017 6/8/2017 We Ask Drivers How They Would Make The Logbook Rules Better 5/30/2017 Self Driving Trucks Are Not Coming Anytime Soon 5/25/2017

Drivers Are Losing Money By Taking The Wrong Approach

Brett Aquila on Thu, July 13, 2017

Regardless of your experience level in trucking, read this and think about what I'm saying.

The first stage of learning is listening and observing. You're either reading from a manual, listening to instructions, or watching someone perform a task. I hear a lot of people say, "I learn best by doing." Well to some degree, we all do. 'Doing' is an essential step in the process, but it shouldn't be the first step.

Trucking is not something you can learn simply by observing, but a lot of people don't realize they're almost skipping this stage entirely. This doesn't just apply to new drivers. The trucking industry is loaded with experienced drivers who have failed to learn how to be successful at the highest level in this industry because they're hard headed, they think their way is the only way, and they're not learning from those who are outperforming them.

Many of you are making life more difficult on yourselves. You're preventing yourselves from making more money and having better driving skills because you aren't paying attention to the people who are more skilled, more experienced, or having more success than you are.

In other words, shut up for a minute and have a look around at the people who are outperforming you. Then you can start doing it yourself, and doing it right.

The Early Stages Of Your Career

In the beginning of your trucking career you have a particular knowledge set and a particular skill set you should be focusing on.

The knowledge part includes:

The skills will include backing, shifting, and basic driving skills, all of which will be taught to you in school and improved out on the road with a trainer.

The Biggest Problem Rookies Face

One of the biggest problems rookies face is that they come into the trucking industry with their own expectations of what they need to learn and how the training should be done. This causes a ton of grief, and in fact needlessly causes the end of a lot of careers before they even get off the ground.

Many students have their own agenda. Instead of listening to what they're being told to do, they're doing what they think they should be doing.

We recently had a visitor who had started a conversation in our trucker's forum. He was a classic example of someone who thinks they know the best course of action instead of listening to what they're being told.

He started out this conversation by saying:

I feel I will have to know everything about:

  1. Every last gauge on the truck's dash
  2. Every last idiot light on the truck's dash
  3. Every last pedal, lever and switch in the rig
  4. How the heating and air conditioner work's
  5. How the truck's radio works
  6. How to turn the lights on and off
  7. How the power inverters work
  8. How to connect the air lines to the trailer
  9. How to uncouple the tractor from the trailer
  10. How to inspect all the vehicular lights
  11. How every last piece of onboard electronic equipment works (if it even does work)

Ok, at some point sure, you're going to have to know that kind of stuff. But he's only at the stage where he's considering a career. He doesn't even know if trucking is the right career for him or not. He doesn't know the expectations and the demands of the job. He doesn't even know if he qualifies for the job in the first place. He decided on his own he knows what he needs to worry about right now.

For instance, he mentions he has an issue with heat stroke. One of our moderators, Rainy, rightfully pointed out:

Had you discussed this heat stroke thing...we could have told you right away trucking is probably not for you and you will waste the state's money. You can go to school and get a CDL , but companies probably would not hire you due to your past heat stroke issues. I just spent three days in CA/AZ in 120 degrees and just walking from the parked truck to the truck stop to use the shower was horrible. So for someone with issues, I'm sure it would be ungodly.

Obviously he should first consider whether or not he's even cut out for this career before he starts studying the various gauges and functions in a truck. So now that he knows this, he'll begin with this important step, right?

Oh heck no. Instead he'll make false assumptions and accusations:

You might be working for some mickey-mouse company with broken old-fashioned equipment. I can't imagine biggie outfits' like Swift placing their drivers in any less than late-model rigs with effective and reliable climate controls in any weather. I would stay away from little mom-and-pop outfits myself. A newer, modern truck is going to be a much more safe, comfortable and secure environment than some rig decades old for any long-haul driver. Again a good company will be conscientious about maintaining their equipment.

Oh, good call my friend. Rainy is actually working for the largest and most successful refrigerated outfit in the country driving one of the nicest rigs on the planet. This guy talks like he's giving advice to someone who is currently a trainer in this industry, and the guy has never even seen the inside of a big rig.

But the assumptions and the "know it all" attitude don't stop there. He goes on to say:

I can't imagine a big firm like Swift will require their drivers to drive "off the beaten path" across the nation away from the relative safety and security of the interstate freeway system where there is always emergency help nearby. I would only be interested in reefer/dry van/bulk tanks anyway. No liquid tanks or flatbeds for me.

Oh really??? So you think Swift Transportation only drives on the Interstates? What a ridiculous assumption. Not even close.

And of course without five minutes of experience or research on the matter he decides "I would only be interested in reefer/dry van/bulk tanks anyway. No liquid tanks or flatbeds for me."

That's funny. I drove a food grade liquid tanker for a while and I absolutely loved it. There are a long list of great advantages and interesting aspects to pulling a tanker. Not only that, but anyone with any experience in trucking knows that no one loves their job the way flatbedders do. Those guys are hardcore and most of them wouldn't dream of doing anything else.

But hey, what do we know, right? Why do the research or listen to experienced drivers when you already know it all?

I could go on all day about this guy but you can read the rest of this conversation here - and it only gets worse:

Forum Conversation: Will I Learn Everything About Every Control Inside A Truck?

The Bottom Line For Rookies

Please do not assume anything coming into this industry. The trucking industry is a strange beast. I can promise you it isn't like anything you've ever done before and you're going to be continuously surprised at the way it operates. If you come in with your own fictitious set of ideals and expectations you're going to make life miserable for yourself.

  • You're going to think you're with a lousy school or a lousy company because they don't do things the way you expect them to be done
  • You're not going to get along with the instructors or dispatch because you won't listen and do what's expected of you, and they won't tolerate people who won't listen
  • You're not going to learn the important things you need to learn to perform at a high level, turn the big miles, and make the big money like the Top Tier Drivers

So clear your mind of expectations, listen to what you're being told, do what's being expected of you, and ask a lot of questions along the way.

Your Typical Conversation With A Disgruntled Experienced Driver

Ok, it's time to get on the experienced drivers a little bit. Anyone with experience in trucking knows this industry is loaded with complainers and underperformers. There is a sizeable percentage of drivers out there who are hardheaded, belligerent, and unhappy with pretty much everything and everyone.

Some of them simply aren't cut out for trucking but they're trying to make it work. Unfortunately it's probably never going to work for them and they're never going to be happy. But many of these drivers are stepping on their own toes and won't shut up long enough or humble themselves a little so they can see they're handling things poorly and need to change their ways.

Old School, another of our moderators, is thrilled with company he works for. He gets tons of miles, drives beautiful equipment, and gets treated very well.

One day he wandered into the terminal, which he normally tries to avoid, and one of the reasons he states for that is:

What I don't enjoy about terminals is that there always seems to be a certain crowd of drivers there who enjoy commiserating together about how badly trucking has treated them. I'm sure you know the type, we call them the "Terminal Rats!"

Sometimes I would wonder, "Do these guys ever work?" It is no wonder that they have a long list of grievances about their pay. At some point in this career you have got to figure out that we get paid for our performance, and not just because we are on the payroll.

Interestingly enough I did a podcast on the subject of terminal rats:

Episode 10: Terminal Rats Are Derailing Trucking Careers - check it out.

I'm going to give some highlights of the conversation but you can read his full story and comment on it in our trucker's forum here:

Me and My Big Mouth! (How to start a fight at a terminal).

So Old School comes across a disgruntled experienced driver, a terminal rat basically, who is complaining endlessly:

"I've been sitting here at the terminal now almost long enough to get a "34" [hour reset] in... This company sucks, they just don't have the miles to give us... I'm going on a year now, and I have never even done 2,500 miles yet... I can't keep this up, I've got to find a better company that has the miles... etc., ad nauseum."

Another driver who gets great miles asks who his dispatcher is:

"Oh, it's [dispatcher's name], he spends more time trying to screw me over than he does at making any effort to get me some decent runs, I swear he tries to aggravate me with the loads he comes up with."

Old School hesitates to say anything about the fact that he's "almost always in excess of 3,000 miles on a weekly basis" but goes on to say:

After some of the others start agreeing with [the terminal rat] and say they are experiencing the same thing, the first guy that commented falls out of the conversation, because he seemed to realize, like me, that these guys just don't get it. He kind of gives me a quizzical look as If he was wondering if we were thinking the same thoughts.

This terminal rat gets on the phone with his dispatcher and says, to paraphrase:

"Can't you find something better than that! I'm not going to do that run, it would be impossible for me to get that done by Tuesday morning before the payroll cut-off. I need some money on this week's check. I told you that already and here you go and come up with a 1600 mile run! Why can't you ever get me something like this when I need it? Now when I'm just wanting something to get me by until payday you try to get me to jump over the moon for you, well I'm not your puppet man! You can give that to some fool who thinks he just has to take everything you tell him - I'm going to be right here waiting for you to come up with something I can finish by Tuesday morning, or better yet Monday morning just to be on the safe side - I've got to have some money now! I can't be stretching this pay period over into the next week - I've got bills to pay now. What is it about my situation that you just can't seem to understand?"

....and then "slams his phone to the table and starts bragging to the others about how he is just not gonna take this crap. They're gonna have to come up with something better than that if they want him to take it!"

Old School made a valiant attempt to explain kindly to this driver how he could have made that 1600 mile run, but the driver jumped on Old School the way he did his dispatcher and let Old School know that "anytime he needed some advice from a 'super trucker' he would ask for it!"

Again, you can read and comment on this conversation here: Me and My Big Mouth! (How to start a fight at a terminal)

Where Experienced Drivers Go Wrong

There are several things about the trucking industry that some of you experienced drivers don't seem to understand so I'm going to lay it out here for you.

Quit Being A Jerk

Seriously, you're a jerk and you know it. See, you're even smiling right now, aren't you? You're costing yourself a lot of money thinking you can lay down the law and tell people off all the time. You can't scare anyone into listening to you because you have no authority other than the decision to drive that truck or not.

You can't control dispatch, the shipping clerks, the DOT officers, or the waitress at the truck stop. By being a loudmouth jerk you're making people want to go out of their way to get back at you. Without any authority in any matters you're an easy target. Everyone knows the expression, "You attract more flies with honey than with vinegar". Unless you enjoy sitting around going broke while your peers fill their pockets with cash, wake up and change your attitude.

Do The Dirty Work And Don't Complain About It

Every driver out there has to do some dirty work once in a while. I know you've been driving for five or ten years, but all of the freight has to get moved and sometimes you're the one in the perfect position to move that 300 mile run to Jersey you detest.

Another expression you've heard, "Pay It Forward", applies here. Do that lousy run without complaint and then let dispatch know it's time to throw you a bone. You may have to do another lousy run right away first. Who knows? But if you'll Pay It Forward you can be certain that dispatch will reward you in kind with some big, fat, sweet run to Texas or Florida.

A lot of drivers think, "I've been out here a long time. I've paid my dues. I'm not doing the grunt work anymore." Well you have to realize that if dispatch piles all of the grunt work on their newer drivers they'll never keep any of these newer drivers. They have to spread the love around a little bit. You can be certain you'll get the great miles you deserve, but doing some grunt work once in a while will always be part of the job. Any driver who gets treated great and consistently gets top miles is doing grunt work once in a while.

Stop Being Late

I know, you're on time most of the time. Well that's simply not good enough. Either your company can count on you to get the job done or they can't. There's really no middle ground. Get to all of your appointments on time and stop making excuses.

There are plenty of drivers who can go an entire year without being late to one single appointment, and they're facing the same traffic and weather and exhausting schedule that you are. The difference is in the standards they set for themselves. You think it's ok to be on time 90% of the time and they won't settle for less than 100% on time service. That's why they're getting 3,000 miles a week and you're getting 2,200.

When a critical load from a critical customer becomes available you're simply not going to get it. You're going to get that 300 mile run to Jersey you can't stand while they're going to get that important load that has to be on time going to Texas.

100% on time with all appointments. That's the standard Top Tier Drivers set for themselves. Get on board with that or get left behind.

The Bottom Line For All Drivers

Listen, there are drivers out there that we refer to as "Top Tier Drivers" here at TruckingTruth. These drivers:

  • Turn big miles consistently
  • Get pre-planned on loads regularly
  • Always make their appointments on time
  • Get along well with dispatch
  • Drive beautiful equipment
  • Get all kinds of special favors from the company

If you want to be part of this group you have to step up your game. If you're a rookie, strive for perfection in everything you do. You'll almost never reach that level of performance, but you'll come darn close if you never stop reaching.

If you're an experienced driver and you're not getting the great miles and special favors you expect then it's time to wake up and realize you're stepping on your own toes. Learn to get along well with people and learn to work through problems instead of just screaming demands at people.

I realize a lot of people are cynical toward the office personnel but you really are all on the same team. Everyone wins when the trucks keep those wheels turning. If you want your share of the miles you have to earn them, regardless of how long you've been driving. That means doing some of the dirty work once in a while.

Be on time with your loads. Do some dirty work once in a while. And seriously, quit complaining and quit being a jerk. It will make a huge difference in your wallet at the end of the week.

Live long and prosper!

Tagged Under:

Advice For New Truck Drivers Becoming A Truck Driver Dealing With The Boss Dispatcher Issues Driver Responsibilities First Solo Months On The Road Hard Lessons Learned Truck Driver Salary Truck Driver Training

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TruckingTruth was founded by Brett Aquila (that's me!), a 15 year truck driving veteran, in January 2007. After 15 years on the road I wanted to help people understand the trucking industry and everything that came with the career and lifestyle of an over the road trucker. We'll help you make the right choices and prepare for a great start to your trucking career.

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